Oola's Actress Got More Than She Bargained For From The Star Wars Special Editions
When the "Star Wars" special editions were released in theaters beginning in 1997, there were a lot of upset fans. While George Lucas was able to realize more of his vision for the original trilogy with new technology in the special effects realm, many people (including me, both then and now) wished he'd left them the way they were. I mean, there was a reason they became so popular without the new additions. Things seemed shoved in there and overdone. Sure, there were great moments, like watching all the planets celebrate the fall of the Empire, but a lot of it was bantha poodoo.
One thing that was actually cool — and I remember thinking this the day I saw the "Return of the Jedi" special edition — was the fact that Jabba the Hutt's enslaved Twi'lek dancer Oola (Femi Taylor) got more to do. I do not like that stupid song in the scene where she dances, but as a little girl, I always felt bad for her and wanted to know more. Getting to see the extent of Jabba's cruelty and at least more screen time from Oola was a bonus I didn't expect.
In the 2009 "Star Wars Insider" #108, Taylor spoke about being called back to reprise the role of Oola, something she was the only person asked to do. She said she got more than she bargained for with this return to Jabba's palace.
'I was blown away!'
In the original version of "Return of the Jedi," Oola was dropped down into the rancor pit and that was it. In the special edition, she got more screen time. As Taylor said, "To be the only person brought back is extraordinary, isn't it? I was blown away!" She was even more so when she found out that Lucas himself was going to direct her additional scenes since original director Richard Marquand had since passed away. She recalls him greeting her with, "Oh Femi, you look great. It's really good to have you back on board," saying he was "so friendly and his executive producer, Rick McCallum, was too — I can't say enough great things about Rick."
In fact, it was McCallum's idea to give Oola a death scene ... well, right up to the point where we think she's about to be killed. "You don't actually see me get killed," Taylor said. "I guess I could have escaped."
As someone who has long lived on vibes from the rancor meme where Luke dropping the gate on the creature's head merely injures him, I appreciate this so much. It always broke my heart to see his trainer cry. I can't even kill a bug and I blame this movie. It's kind of lovely to think that maybe she actually escaped. I mean, I know that's not the actual implication, but my headcanon says she did — so there.
'I felt very honored'
For Taylor, it was a wonderful experience. She got to know George Lucas more than the last time around. She explained:
"In 1983, I didn't know George at all. I saw him once when I had a wardrobe fitting and was just introduced to him. He was shy and sweet. I originally mistook him for a second-unit camera guy because he was always behind the camera. Coming back 16 years later, I got on with him like a long-lost pal!"
Not only that, but they rebuilt the set to shoot Oola falling into the rancor pit. "I felt very honored that they spent two days building that set, to extend my scene," she said. "That wasn't originally going to happen when they called me back; I was just hired to do some blue-screen work." Taylor also said that Lucas and McCallum had her dance in front of three alien backup singers after the third day, making the call on the fly to extend the scene. "They storyboarded it and showed it to me," she explained. "They said, 'Would you be willing to stay for an extra few days? We'll build you a new set and be at your beck and call!'" What an honor! It's also nice to know that I wasn't the only person who wanted to know more about Oola.
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